Wairua Motuhake: Hikoi Special. Front page eh? What the?
When our Tule whanau lived in the Block on 5 Wrigley Road back in te ra, our dads got laid off from their mahi in the forest and mills; all because some clever dickie in government had sold the people's assets in some rubbish insider-trading type deal. The sale of state assets, like the forests, had consequences well beyond money.
So the other month, I was at a Mana hui when the hikoi kaupapa came up. Mike Smith said enough was enough and set down the wero to all of us - who's got the power? When many of us looked around, we said the Rotorua District Council had the power, the National Party and John Key, Talley's Affco. Where the heck was our power?
The hikoi then, was an opportunity to reclaim our power and tell our leaders Aotearoa was not for sale. Who cares if you won the election. That did not mean you could loot the vaults. But then, if Hone Kii and co wanted to sell Mighty River Power, Genesis Energy, Meridian Power and Solid Energy, who could stop them? Didn't they have the majority in Parliament and enough support at the table to pawn off our future?
Hardly cuzzie, said one of our whanau from Kawerau. She said their land trust had gone into a long-term, intergenerational, good-faith relationship with Mighty River Power to build geothermal power plants of benefit for whanau, hapu, iwi, as well as the local mill, local community and region. If nearly half of MRP went up for auction, she said, what happens to Maori? Will their tino rangatiratanga be compromised by shareholder demands and will more Maori rights be again taken by selfish greed, self-interest and the almighty dollar? Of course it will. And that is why we supported the hikoi.
A hikoi is a peaceful walk and the group who set off from Te Reinga stepped forward with strength and good spirit. They all shared a common kaupapa of loving this country and were willing to put their lives aside and travel this awesome nation to share that simple message. Aotearoa-New Zealand is paradise to many. Yes, we definitely have issues we need to address but we start from such a unique position. So, hearts, heads and our mouths said Aotearoa is not for sale.
The hikoi weaved through Kawakawa and Whangarei with whanau joining from the Far North and Dargaville, making their way into Auckland. On Saturday, 10,000 joined them and that message turned to a chorus "Aotearoa is not for sale". From Tamaki, they entered Ngaruawahia for the day before making their way here to Rotorua. The welcome on to Papaiouru was warm and the whaikorero from Koro Pihopa and the paepae inside Tamatekapua supportive. About 40 found rest at Mataikotare before waking Monday to bring their message to the streets of Rotorua.
It was cold when we all gathered at Te Kouramawhitiwhiti, but once the karakia had put us at ease, the Lakefront came alive. As we walked down Tutanekai Street about 300 strong, a group of students stood to welcome and haka the marchers. Past the court house, we called out "John Key, you've got mail, Aotearoa is not for sale". I liked that chant. Along the way, whanau from Ngati Whakaue joined, as did students, mums and dads, koroua and kuia.
In City Focus, we heard from the Green Party of their concern for protecting our environment, from a union speaker who wanted us to show solidarity with the workers being locked out by Affco and Talley's. Koro Pa Tangata talked about our need as ordinary people to build a new constitution because right now, no one can get these people in Parliament to pull their heads in. Annette Sykes congratulated everyone who had joined. Rotorua had come out in force to say no sale.
We left City Focus and marched towards Todd McClay's office. As the National Party representative, it seemed logical to visit him although we had been told earlier he wouldn't be in. We could at least deliver a speech to let him know we did not agree with the sales and to pass on the message to his leader.
Then the bro Jay Gee and Jerome heard the call of the haka and ran forward.
Until then, I'd helped the Rotorua committee quietly in the back, supporting Bernie Hornfeck, Janet, Te Hau, Annette, Alan, Kahu, Temotoi, Tangi, Cushla, Cathy and the whanau from Mana - doing the dishes, updating via Facebook, talking with whanau. Then from among the crowd, our rangatahi called us to action. We seized the opportunity to back them up, not realising we would now play our small part on the frontline.
I think the headline stereotypically focused on the angry haka and missed that the hikoi was a peaceful expression of our frustration but that we had kept cool by talking, chanting and sharing; the entire way. Our kaupapa was to say we did not agree to what was happening with fracking, with deep sea oil drilling, with mining, with asset sales and, in one loud voice, our haka was just that.
The police decided to act like fences and block our people in but a dedicated few broke the line to let out one mighty roar. No anger, no malice, just pure expression: Todd bro, no sale.
Then the cuz Chanz Mikaere continued with our rangatahi down towards the skatepark, carrying a coffin of the people, representing the death of the Treaty of Waitangi should sales go through. Maori have much to lose as does any family with workers in those energy companies, as do we all.
Still, we marched in positive unison and sent the message with Mike Smith and 40 others as they continued on towards Taupo, Turangi and the King Country. Another crew supported Bernie as they headed through to Opotiki, along the East Coast, down to Gisborne and towards Kahungunu rohe. Aotearoa is not for sale.
If there is anyone I would like to say sorry to, it was the mum and her small daughter playing on their kickboard at the skatepark that day. When a group of 300 people converge, it can be a bit much and, although everyone stayed in the carpark and did not spread across the skatepark, we have to say sorry for bumping you both. We owe you an apology and an icecream.
So the hikoi got to Wellington and the message was delivered to Parliament but will they listen? Hmmm. We shall see.
Ka mate ka mate ka ora ka ora.
Over 10,000 vehicles use the bridge daily, including nearly 1000 trucks.